Quick links

Social Media Etiquette for Nursing Professionals

While the world of social media is sometimes viewed as the wild west of the internet, the social media posts you make can negatively affect you.

An ER nurse has a rough day at work. When she gets home she vents on Facebook about her exhausting shift, about the drug addict that staggered in, about the drunk that urinated on himself in the waiting area, and how irritable each of her patients were that day.

Harmless, right? She didn’t mention any names. Didn’t post any pictures. And yet, a ‘friend’ of the nurse who was angry at her, decided to file a complaint with her state board of nursing alleging “unprofessional conduct.”

Though this is a hypothetical situation, the end result is fairly common. If the nurse does not have her own professional liability insurance, she may not be able to afford a lawyer. And though she probably does not feel she did anything wrong, she could end up plea bargaining with the board and taking a year of probation. Probation appears on your record and can have adverse effects when you apply for a job.

What to Avoid When Posting
Many of us use social media daily to share our lives with friends, colleagues and family. Unfortunately, there are associated risks, particularly for nurses, who are held to a high standard by their state boards. Two areas of risk include:

Patient privacy and/or confidentiality. Breaches of patient privacy/confidentially can be intentional or inadvertent, with inappropriate postings including patient photos, negative comments about patients, or details that might identify patients.

A Simple Tweet or Text can Result in a Licensing Complaint
Violations of the above risks can result in a complaint being filed against your license with your state board of nursing. Complaints can be filed by virtually anyone, including friends, family, patients, patients’ family members, your employer, even your own spouse.

Licensing complaints are more common than you think. There are almost 30 times more licensing complaints filed against nurses than malpractice lawsuits. Between 2010 and 2014, there were 3,357 malpractice suits filed against nurses and 96,659 licensing complaints.*

Disciplinary actions by your state board can involve; no action, a simple reprimand, fine, continuing education, probation, suspension or permanent loss of licensure.

10 Simple Do’s and Don’ts When Posting, Tweeting, Texting or Blogging
By using caution, nurses can enjoy the benefits of social media without risking the loss of their license and their livelihood. The following tips can help keep your social media content in the clear:

Always maintain patient privacy and confidentiality.

Do not post patient photos or videos of patients or identify patients by name.

Do not refer to patients in a disparaging manner, even if patients are not identified.

Use caution when connecting with patients or former patients via social media.

Do not post inappropriate photos, negative comments about colleagues or employers.

Never discuss drug and alcohol use.

Use social media to post positive comments about your workplace and its staff.

Share educational information that may benefit others, such as safety notices and medical news.

It is permissible to refer doctors, specialists and healthcare practices.

Use social media to enhance the role of nursing in the community, among friends and the public.

Remember posting, tweeting, texting and blogging are not private communications and can be used against you in an investigation by your Board of Nursing

Protect Yourself
Social media is great way to connect with family and friends, but you need to be cautious. If a complaint is filed against your license for whatever reason, your state board of nursing will conduct its own investigation. That could include looking to see if you have a presence on social media. You might be investigated for one reason, and have your situation made worse by comments you made on Facebook, Twitter or in text message.

Nursing professionals need to be aware that online postings are permanent and can negatively affect their license and ability to practice. Think twice before you post content that could be judged as “unprofessional.”

About the Author
Melanie Balestra, RN, NP, JD, is a partner at Cummins & White, LLP, a business and insurance law firm based in Newport Beach, CA. Her practice focuses on issues that affect healthcare providers, including nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and dentists. Melanie also works as a pediatric nurse practitioner at the Laguna Beach Community Clinic in Laguna Beach, CA. She can be reached at mbalestra@cwlawyers.com.​

Topics:

Share this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

You have questions. We have answers. (It's why we're here.)

What kinds of activities might trigger a disciplinary action by a licensing board or regulatory agency?

The fact is anyone can file a complaint against you with the state board for any reason—even your own employer—and it doesn’t have to be solely connected to your professional duties. All complaints need to be taken seriously, no matter how trivial or unfounded they may appear.

How does a shared limit policy work?

A shared limit policy is issued in the name of your professional business or company. The policy provides professional liability insurance coverage for the business entity named on the certificate of insurance and any of the employees of the business entity, provided they are a ratable profession within our program. Coverage is also provided for locum tenens professionals with whom the business entity has contracted for services the locum tenens performs for the business entity.

The business, and all eligible employees and sub-contractors you regularly employ, will be considered when determining your practice’s premium calculation and share the same coverage limits you select for the business.

We have a shared limit policy. Are employees covered if they practice outside our office?

The policy covers your employees outside the office as long as they are performing covered professional services on behalf of your business.

If your employees are moonlighting, either for pay or as a volunteer, they should carry an individual professional liability insurance policy to cover those services. Otherwise, they might not be covered for claims that arise out of these activities.

NSO Learning Center

More insights from some of the best minds in nursing.

Create effective anti-bullying policies

Workplace bullying contributes to decreased team cohesion, burnout, retention issues, and absenteeism. This article will help managers and other nurses influence policy development with suggestions on crafting usable and effective anti-bullying policies.

Defensive Documentation

When you document your nursing care in a patient's chart, you communicate with other members of the healthcare team and contribute to a legal document: the medical record. Good charting can make all the difference in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Do you know what do if there's an active shooter at your facility?

Mass shooting incidents have prompted individuals and organizations, including hospitals and other healthcare facilities, to consider response plans for an “active shooter”. Does your workplace have a plan in place for how to handle an active shooter? Would you know how to react to protect yourself and your patients or clients?

End of Life Care: Responsibilities and Risks

Nurses can make a major contribution in easing the transition from aggressive treatment to palliative care, regardless of the setting. To do so, they must be prepared to make ethical and humane decisions while also avoiding professional liability exposures.